Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
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This easy-to-make creamy coconut lentil curry is a healthy vegan recipe that makes a perfect meatless Monday dinner recipe. It takes less than an hour (mostly hands-off time) to make and is packed full of delicious Indian flavors. Make extras and you'll have a giant smile on your face at lunch the next day.
If you love lentils, also try our black lentil curry and our crockpot lentil curry!
You guys, this is what curry dreams are made of. This beauty is made in one pot and it'll be less than an hour until you are in coconut curry HEAVEN!
We eat this curry year-round. It doesn't matter how hot it is outside, it's always a good time for a bowl of hot curry. It's stinkin' hot in India and peeps there eat curry all the time. They must be onto something.
Years ago while backpacking around India for a few months, the locals would always say that eating hot food on a hot day would cool you down. Whether or not that's true, if you put a bowl of hot curry in front of any one of us and it's a bazillion degrees outside, we'll still eat it. And really, how could you not?
Ingredients needed
- Coconut oil ā for sautĆ©ing the flavor components.
- The flavor ā cumin seeds, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and sea salt.
- Crushed tomatoes ā just open a can and pour it in!
- Lentils ā the star of the show! We use brown lentils, but green lentils work just as well.
- Coconut milk ā this is what makes the lentil curry wonderfully creamy.
- Cherry tomatoes and cilantro ā these get stirred in at the end for even more flavor.
This coconut lentil curry recipe is ridiculously simple to make. Five bucks says that you're going to look at the recipe and think, āNo way THIS recipe could be one of the BEST curry recipes.ā But it is. For real. It's so simple to make that we made you a video so you can see just how easy it will be for you to sit down in front of a big bowl of lentil curry.
Watch the lentil curry video
The original recipe
The original recipe comes from a well dog-eared cookbook called, Vij's at Home. We've made a few changes to the original recipe so it suits our taste:
- Coconut oil replaces the cooking oil (and we use MUCH less of it)
- Coriander seeds replace ground coriander as we love the little pop of crunch they give.
- Crushed tomatoes replace fresh tomatoes (so we can be lazy and not blend them)
- Harder to find mung beans take a hike and are replaced withĀ brown lentils
- Cilantro gets piled on high.
- Cherry tomatoes get thrown in during the last few minutes of cooking (because heck, why not?)
Storage and freezing
This is one recipe that tastes even better the next day AND it freezes excellent. We'll often make a double batch just so we can freeze half of it. And if you have little ones at home, freezing small portions of this curry is a great way to have quick and healthy meals on hand.
In the fridge ā This curry will keep well for up to 4 days in a sealed container in your fridge.
In the freezer ā Transfer the cooled curry to freezer proof containers and keep it in your freezer for up to 4 months.
To reheat ā We like to reheat this curry on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water as it thickens overnight. But you can also warm this up in the microwave.
What to serve with lentil curry
Like most curry recipes, this one is great served with basmati rice. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice to get some extra veggies on your plate!
And while this is absolutely a one-pot dinner, if you'd like a side dish, try one of these:
Recipe FAQs
Can I use red lentils to make this curry?
Red lentils cook much faster than green lentils. If you'd like to use them instead, reduce the water to 1 cup and simmer the lentils for half the time.
Can I use canned lentils?
Since canned lentils are cooked, you can simply add them to the recipe, omit the water, and warm them up.
What do the whole cumin and coriander seeds taste like?
We don't notice the cumin seeds, but you can definitely taste the coriander seeds. They give a little pop of flavor in your mouth when you bite into them. If you're worried that the flavor will be too strong, you can use ground cumin and ground coriander instead.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
After getting several requests, we've now created aĀ crockpot coconut lentil curryĀ recipe for you! While this original version still wins (in our books) the crockpot version is delicious and so great to come home to after a long day at work.
Can I add some vegetables to the curry?
Absolutely! Many people who have made this recipe have commented that they've cooked their favorite veggies right in the pot of lentils. You can try potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or spinach.
Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds
- 1 head garlic (chopped (10-12 cloves))
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup dried brown lentils
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)
- 2 cups water (see notes)
- 15 ounce can coconut milk
- A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and toast until they start to brown, about 45 seconds. Add the garlic to the pot and let it brown, about 2 minutes.1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds, 1 head garlic
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt to the pot and cook, stirring the pot a few times, for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and, if using, the cayenne powder, and the water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Stir the pot a few times to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. If the curry starts to look dry, add an extra Ā½ ā 1 cup of water.28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 cup dried brown lentils, 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder, 2 cups water
- Once the lentils are soft and the curry is thick, add the coconut milk and cherry tomatoes and bring the pot back to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cilantro.15 ounce can coconut milk, A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped cilantro
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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For more inspiration, check out all of our curry recipes!
Omg this was so easy, so cheap but tasted amazing. All 4 kids and hubby asked for seconds. This being our first lentil meal gives me the confidence to try more lentil recipes.
Excellent recipe, so thanks!
I brown one large onion before adding the coriander and cumin seeds for a little extra bulk and taste, substitute cream for the coconut milk and use ghee instead of coconut oil.
Three fresh chopped bird’s eye chillies give it the heat that I like but you can use this recipe as a base and then add almost anything and it’s still very tasty.
Not vegan (sorry), but very very tasty.
No need to apologize! I’m not vegan either. š
Used pink lentils instead of brown. Delish! Thank you for the great recipe!
You are so welcome!
AMAZING!!!!! This dish was off the hook!! I made vegan mashed potatoes instead of rice. Truly one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever made! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for the comment! You made my day!
Can I use coriander cumin powder instead of seeds?
You sure can!
My family loved this, even my daughter who says she doesn’t like Indian dishes! I added purple kale and shredded carrots to the curry and served on top of coconut brown rice with a side of roast carrots and sweet potatoes. This is making my switch to plant based foods easier and really enjoyable, thank you!!!
That’s wonderful! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi. The recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I was wondering if using homemade veggie broth instead of water would work? Or do you think it would change the flavor?
Absolutely it would work!
I’ve been making this for almost 2 years now and can’t get enough of it. When I first discovered this recipe I was making it at least once a week. It’s just that delicious. I tend to add mushrooms and spinach as well as the tomatoes because I love the combination of those flavours, thank you so much .
That’s so great to hear! Really happy that you enjoy the recipe!
Making this for the third time tonight since finding the recipe. We really love this one, and can’t get enough of it. Thanks for sharing!
That’s wonderful! So happy you like it!
Could I use garam masala spice instead of the individual coriander and cumin spices?
It would change it a bit but this recipe is really flexible so it will still taste great.
You mentioned mung beans – if I wanted to use whole mung beans, do I need to presoak and how is the cooking time adjusted?
Thanks!
Mung beans will take about 25 minutes to cook. No need to presoak them. š
This recipe is delicious, I have made it a lot of times, and even one of our friends who more or less always eats meat, loved it and asked for the recipe, Iām going to make it again Tuesday next week, for my coworkers, hope they like it too.
When a big time meat eater asks for a vegan recipe you know it’s a win! Love it!!
I have been on a vegan Indian food kick and THIS one is my new favorite! I usually don’t go back for seconds (I like to have left overs), but I couldn’t stop myself from this one. Will be making this one again and again. Thanks!!
That’s a great compliment! Thank you!
Iām not sure if my first comment/question went through, so I apologize if this is a repeat. This recipe looks yummy! I love curry. Quick question: if I were to use ground spices instead of whole seeds or pods, what would the measurements be?
No problem at all. Use the same amount of ground seeds as whole. š
Thanks for the info :). Iāll have to try this soon.
I wound up adding a can of tomato puree & some chicken stock (because I didn’t read the recipe far enough to see I needed to add water), and added 1/2 c of lentils to balance out. I like spicy food, so I added some Berbere, Fenugreek, and Garam Masala.
This is an AWESOME recipe, and would still be great without my last minute additions!
I’m so happy you liked it! One of my favorite things about this recipe is how flexible it is. It’s nice to be able to use it as a base and add to it!
This looks so yummy! I love curry š Quick question: if I were to use ground cumin and coriander instead of the seeds, how much would I need?
When I make it with ground spices I use the same amounts. š
Truly enjoyed this recipe. I want to freeze a batch. Do you know if it freezes well? I suspect I have to opt out of the cherry tomatoes before freezing. Please let me know what you recommend.
It freezes very well! But yes, I would save the cherry tomatoes to add before serving. š
Could you use red lentils in this recipe?
You can, but red lentils cook much faster. I would only use half the amount of water then add more as needed. Whole red lentils will cook in about 15-20 minutes. š